The present invention relates to the general technical field of accessories for culinary preparation mounted on an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation of the household food processor or beater type, or on a household appliance for culinary preparation, as well as electrical household appliances for culinary preparation having such accessories.
By food processor, it is in order to understand an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation having a working receptacle and in which the working tool is operated, driven by the motor of the appliance. Such an appliance is generally provided to operate with different types of tools such as for example, tools for grating, slicing, chopping, kneading, mixing, emulsifying beating.
By beater, it is in order to understand, an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation having at least one working tool for mixing, emulsifying, beating, said appliance not having an associated working receptacle, and being provided on the contrary to be held in the users hand in order to be utilized in any appropriate receptacle.
By household culinary preparation appliance, it is in order to understand a mechanical household appliance transforming at least in part the movement furnished by the user to communicate it to the working tool in contact with the preparation.
By accessory for preparation of mixtures, emulsions, mousses and dispersions, it is in order to understand a working tool provided to the mounted on an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation, and which permits production of the above-cited preparations.
An emulsion is a dispersion of small drops of fatty matter in water or an aqueous solution, or inversely a dispersion of droplets of aqueous solutions in fatty matter. Mayonnaise, bearnaise sauce, cream are emulsions of the xe2x80x9coil in waterxe2x80x9d type. Butter is an emulsion of the xe2x80x9cwater in oilxe2x80x9d type.
A mousse is a dispersion of bubbles of a gas in a liquid, or in a solid. Egg whites beaten until they are stiff are, for example, a mousse.
Culinary preparations such as emulsions or mousses cause physico-chemical reactions to intervene, activated by a mechanical preparation. The texture of the preparation depends on the agitation supplied to the initial mixture of ingredients. In particular, a rather fine texture, having a better stability than a coarser texture, can be desired. Such a texture is in effect more stable because it offers a larger surface between the included materials, which are air for mousses and oil for emulsions, and the matrix, which is constituted most often by an aqueous solution. The presence of tensio-active molecules, such as proteins or lecithins, at the interface between the water on the one hand, and the oil or air on the other hand, contributes to stabilize the included material.
In order to provide the emulsions or mousses, culinary utensils such as whisks are utilized.
In the traditional version, the whisk is a manual utensil having a handle to one of the ends of which are fixed and angularly distributed metal wires curved in a manner to form a cage and each of the ends of which is fixed to the handle. Such a whisk is for example described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 884,085.
This type of whisk can be mounted on a household appliance for culinary preparation, such as described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 1,007,891.
The document FR 1 596 721 describes a manual whisk having a plurality of substantially flat branches of plastic material. Each branch is constituted either by a plate portion pierced with openings, or adjoining substantially filiform elements, forming a lattice. The lattice comprises substantially filiform parts disposed longitudinally in the direction of the axis of the whisk, and other parts transversely connecting the preceding parts, in a manner to increase the rigidity of the branches of the whisk. The different branches of this whisk can be molded simultaneously, in a manner to form a monoblock assembly, or molded in the form of distinct elements provided with attachment means.
The use of manual appliances requires a certain dexterity, as regards the mode of operation and the speed of execution. In addition, the duration of utilization to obtain a desired result can appear to the user to be long. Consequently, the result obtained with such appliances is not assured.
In addition the contact of the whisk with the working receptacle is a source of noise, in particular when the whisk is metal and the working receptacle is made of a very rigid and non-damping material such as glass, metal or ceramic. In comparison with metal whisks, whisks having flat branches of plastic material have less deformability which causes the work to be more difficult when the whisk strikes the wall of the working receptacle. For all of these reasons the utilization of such manual appliances is eventually tiresome.
Food processors or beaters can achieve a more constant result with less effort.
The document DE 42 15 400 describes a processor on which is mounted a dough tool driven in a planetary movement.
The document FR 1 270 820 describes a mixing element for a beater, made entirely of plastic material. This mixing element is composed of a cylindrical part furnished with a driving element extended by a body forming a whisk followed by arms forming a cage. The material utilized is for example a polyamide, which permits a certain flexibility of the body. It is thus possible to elastically deform the body by flexure of these whisks by an angle which can reach 30xc2x0.
Such a tool mounted on a beater can be utilized against the wall of the working receptacle due to its deformation properties. These are, however, limited and require the user to constantly apply a force in order to scrape the walls well, despite the utilization of an electrical appliance. In addition, the application of this force on the tool for each of the portions of the wall of the working receptacle is, of course, not easy.
The mounting of such a tool on a processor supposes for a correct and durable operation that the tool will not enter into contact with the walls of the receptacle. It is as a result difficult to correctly work the material present against the wall.
The document FR 2 058 049 describes a tool for an electric beater, permitting achievement at the same time of kneading of dough as well as agitation and beating of the more liquid products such as egg whites or cream. The tool has several branches of metal wire curved in a spiral and connected in the form of a basket. Agitation and beating are notably assured by connection of the branches in the form of a basket.
A rigid tool such as a metal tool cannot be properly used in contact in with the working receptacle, because it will cause annoying noise or degradation of the wall of the receptacle. It is difficult to correctly work the material present against the walls with such a tool. In order to work as much material as possible, the user must precisely control the movement which he gives to the appliance in order for the tool to pass as close to the walls as possible without striking them. The comfort of utilization of such an appliance is limited if the user wants to obtain good preparation results.
All of these tools are in addition difficult to clean. One part of the prepared material remains on the surface of the tools after withdrawal thereof from the working receptacle. These tools have numerous surfaces which are difficult to reach, such as the interior of the metal whisks or even the zones which are concave or which have a small radius of curvature for whisks made of plastic material.
The object of the invention is to propose an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation having an accessory for culinary preparation which remedies the drawbacks cited above and which permits production of mousses and emulsions while working more completely all of the product present in the working receptacle.
Another object of the invention is to propose an accessory for culinary preparation offering a great ease of utilization and of cleaning.
Another object of the invention is to propose an accessory for culinary preparation which permits a high quality of preparation due to the attainment of a fine and/or very homogenous texture for the material forming the preparation, thus aiding the stability of said preparation.
Another object of the invention is to propose an accessory for culinary preparation for which the contact of the working tool with a working receptacle produces a noise signature compatible with the perception of a normal utilization of the accessory.
Another object of the invention is to propose an accessory for culinary preparation which permits improving the mixing of the preparation.
Another object of the invention is to propose an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation having a working tool for mixtures, emulsions, mousses and dispersions.
Another object of the invention is to propose a household appliance for culinary preparation having a working tool for mixtures, emulsions, mousses and dispersions.
The goals assigned to the invention are achieved with an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation of the food processor type, having a case in which is disposed a motor associated with a transmission element, a working receptacle, and an accessory for culinary preparation comprising an operation element and a working tool, characterized in that the working tool forms a cage and is constituted by at least one flexible wire and in that the cage is elastically deformed by a wall of the working receptacle when the operation element is mounted on the transmission element.
Thus, due to the deformation properties of the flexible wire or wires forming the working tool it is possible to create mousses and emulsions while working against the wall of the working receptacle, without risk of degradation of said wall or of deterioration of the working tool. The working tool entering into contact with the wall of the receptacle, whether turning in the product undergoing preparation or not, produces a noise signature compatible with the perception by the user of a normal utilization of said accessory. For all of these reasons, the working tool can enter into contact in a repeated manner with the wall of the working receptacle in the framework of a normal utilization. The contact of the wire or wires of the working tool with wall aids the creation of eddies in the preparation around the wire or wires, which is desirable during production of emulsions, mixtures or dispersions, or aids the entry of air into the preparation, which is desirable during the production of mousses, and permits in the two cases to obtain fine textures. Contact of the wire or wires of the working tool with the wall renders possible the working of all material present in the receptacle and thus aids the obtaining of a very homogenous preparation. It is thus possible to attain a good quality of preparation due to the interaction of the wire or wires of the working tool with the walls. Such an accessory presents, in addition, a high level of comfort and a great ease of use, since the user does not have need to maintain a precise position of the working tool with respect to the walls of the receptacle. The working tool is, in addition, very easy to clean due to its malleability. Such an accessory can also be used with a high degree of safety, since the working tool does not present sharp edges. The user does not risk being injured when handling the accessory, particularly when installing it, withdrawing it, or cleaning it. In addition, the presence of ribs in the working receptacle does not interfere with the utilization of the working tool.
The goals assigned are equally achieved with an accessory for culinary preparation for a household or electrical household appliance for culinary preparation, intended to be utilized in a working receptacle, having an operation element and a working tool mounted on the operation element, characterized in that the working tool is constituted by at least one flexible wire defining a cage capable of being deformed against a wall of the working receptacle to substantially mate with the form of said wall, the flexible wire or wires forming loops connected by a holding element disposed preferably opposite the operation element.
This arrangement permits connecting together the loops formed by the wire or wires and permits a better efficiency in mixtures having a certain viscosity such as soft doughs particularly.
Advantageously, the flexible wire or wires are mounted in a crossed manner between the operation element and the holding element.
This arrangement assures a better rigidity of the working tool which aids the production of certain preparations, while retaining the flexibility necessary for a deformation of said working tool against the wall of the working receptacle.
The flexible wire or wires equipping the accessory for culinary preparation according to the invention are preferably made of a polymer material.
The goals of the invention are equally achieved with an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation of the food processor or beater type, having a motor disposed in a case and driving by the intermediary of a transmission element, the operation element of an accessory for culinary preparation according to the invention.
The user can thus benefit from all of the energy necessary to make the best use of the accessory for culinary preparation according to the invention.
The goals of the invention are equally achieved with a household appliance for culinary preparation having a drive means connected to a transmission means driving the operation element of an accessory for culinary preparation according to the invention.
The user can also benefit from the advantages provided by the accessory for culinary preparation according to the invention in an inexpensive appliance.